WAYNE, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior guard Mya Neal has always excelled at the little things, but on January 29, it was her clutch tie-breaking three with 11 seconds left in overtime that gave New Jersey City University one of its most notable New Jersey Athletic Conference victories in program history. After William Paterson University rallied in the second half to force overtime, NJCU outscored the Pioneers 10-5 in the extra session to secure a 65-60 NJAC road win at the Rec Center.
NJCU (8-11, 5-7 NJAC) continues to make program history as it bids for its first NJAC Tournament appearance since 1989. he win continues a run of unparalleled road success in the NJAC for NJCU which improves to 4-2 on the road in the conference this season—establishing a new program record for NJAC road wins in a single season—and with three road games still remaining, can add to that new standard.
Fifth-place William Paterson (8-11, 6-6 NJAC) now sits just one game in front of the Gothic Knights in the standings with six games remaining. The teams split the season series after the Pioneers survived NJCU, 71-66, in the first meeting of the season in Jersey City on December 4.
The win marked NJCU's first victory over WP in Wayne since January 26, 2002 and only the Knights' second win over the Pioneers since that season. NJCU last topped the Pioneers on February 9, 2015 in Jersey City, 84-69. NJCU snapped a nine-game losing streak against WP.
It was a balanced attack and some suffocating defense in the first half that did the trick for the Knights, with six different players scoring at least six points, and three different players pulling down at least eight rebounds. Senior shooting guard Hannah Johnson led the way with 15 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and two assists, while junior wing Dayjah Anderson had 15 points and three rebounds
On a balanced day, junior forward Ayanna Lewis grabbed 11 rebounds, with had six points, three steals, and two blocks in 24 minutes before fouling out and freshman forward Sarah Edmond hauled in 10 boards. Senior point guard Aaliyah McCrae had nine points, four assists, four rebounds, and three steals and Neal led the way with five steals in addition to her eight points and go-ahead shot.
The Knights forced 27 turnovers and held the Pioneers to just 27.7 percent shooting — 11.8 percent in the first half (4-34 FG).. Paterson went just 2-20 from deep, whereas the Knights made six of their 22 long distance attempts including Neal's all-important dagger.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- NJCU had the defense on lockdown right from the start, holding Paterson without a point for the first five-plus minutes, but the Knights offense was quiet as well, allowing Paterson to get right back to within two once they did finally score.
- However, that defensive effort continued throughout the first quarter for NJCU, and contributions from five different NJCU scorers in the quarter ended the first frame with a 12-4 edge for the Knights. WP shot just 5.6 percent in the opening quarter on a disastrous 1-of-18 shooting.
- The Pioneers struggled to score once again early in the second quarter, netting only one point in the first four minutes.
- In the meantime, the Knights got six points, highlighted by a three from McCrae, to go up 18-5. That 13-point cushion would be their largest lead of the game, coming at the 6:07 mark in the second.
- Paterson finally got the lid off the rim in the latter stages of the second quarter, scoring 11 points in the final four-plus minutes, but the NJCU offense was also clicking during that same timeframe, leading to a 31-19 edge for the Knights at the half after Anderson made a three right before the break.
- In the third quarter, Paterson made their move, holding the Knights to just two points over the first 6:39, and thanks to a layup from freshman guard Yakira Rosa (Dumont, N.J.), the Pioneers were even able to tie things up, 33-33, at the 3:44 mark.
- The Knights were able to absorb the blow, steadied by Johnson, and they regained a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter, 40-37.
- NJCU continued their mini run in the fourth, stretching their lead back to seven less than a minute into the fourth thanks to a Johnson three and an Anderson and-one.
- However, the Knights couldn't quite put the Pioneers to pasture as WP shot 6-of-8 in the fourth (75.0 percent). At the 2:22 mark, junior guard Brianna Brooks (Saddle Brook, N.J.) was able to tie things up at 51-51 with a layup in the paint.
- Less than a minute later, Paterson grabbed its first lead of the game, 52-51, thanks to a Jykayla Elting (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) free throw. That lead stretch to three with a Rosa layup the next time down.
- The Knights called a timeout and recovered, with Johnson making a pair of big free throws with 33 seconds to go, and then, after Rosa split a pair of free throws, Edmond sent the game to overtime after collecting a McCrae miss and converting the second chance putback to tie things at 55-55 with 11 seconds left and force OT.
- In added time, it was senior guard Alisa Giordano (Wood-Ridge, N.J.) who struck first for the Pioneers, hitting a three just over 100 seconds into overtime, but a Neal jumper two minutes later brought things even at 58-58.
- Johnson and Rosa traded baskets in the final minute, before Neal hit her clutch three after she was found wide open on the left wing — to break the tie for good, putting NJCU up 63-60.
- The Knights cut off all Paterson options on the ensuing possession, doing a good job to avoid fouling and collected their fifth conference win after Anderson hit a pair of free throws to seal the deal.
- Freshman forward Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J.) led WP with a double-double of 12 rebounds and 10 points. Rosa led WP with 12 points and Giordano finished with 11.
NOTABLES:
- Series: 77th meeting. Paterson now leads 65-12.
- With four conference road wins, NJCU breaks the program record of three NJAC road wins achieved eight previous times—1987-88, 1988-89, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2005-06, 2009-10 and 2013-14.
- NJCU is in sixth place with six games remaining in the conference, and hold a two-game lead on Ramapo, Rutgers-Camden and Stockton who sit in seventh — just outside the playoffs.
- Dayjah Anderson scored in double figures for the 10th time in 16 games.
- Hannah Johnson has scored in double figures in 11 games this season, including the last eight.
- Sarah Edmond reached double figures in rebounding for the sixth time this year.
- Ayanna Lewis reached double figures in rebounding for the sixth time this year.
- This was the second straight game Mya Neal recorded five steals, both of which were a career-high.
UP NEXT:
- NJCU comes back home to host the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers-Newark (3-15, 1-10 NJAC) in NJAC action on Saturday, February 1 on Alumni Day 2020. RN is the defending NJAC champion. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. The women's alumni game is slated for 11 a.m.
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